Consumer Advocates for RCFE Reform

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RCFE & Skilled Nursing Facility: Is There a Difference?

The table below shows the primary differences between an RCFE (aka Assisted Living) and a Skilled Nursing Facility. We are hopeful the content will help your differentiate between the two.

A Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) is the name in California's Title 22 regulations that refers to a "housing arrangement chosen voluntarily" by a resident or his guardian or other responsible party, where 75% of the residents are 60+, where care and supervision is provided to the residents in a manner consistent with their particular needs. In the vernacular, it is often called assisted living or supportive housing. It is non-medical in nature, and is considered a "housing alternative" that provides care. It is not a medical facility, and is therefore not classified as a health-care facility. The disparity is that despite these parameters, residents may be accepted and retained exhibiting many types of serious and chronic medical conditions.

By contrast, a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) is a facility licensed by California's Department of Public Health, licensed to provide 24/7 skilled professional medical services. It is a considered a medical facility, not a housing alternative.